Fantasy Player Projections

Ben Roethlisberger

After shaking off a little rust, Roethlisberger should be at full strength against a Cowboys defense that is both richly talented and terribly flawed. His performance won't set off sparks, but it will provide more encouragement than last week's.

Jonathan Dwyer

Ben Roethlisberger was more productive on the ground last week than Dwyer or any of the Steelers backs. Things will improve against a Cowboys front seven that has been eaten up by opposing backs in the past three games.

Isaac Redman

Redman hasn't seen much action as of late, in part because Pittsburgh has either been in tight games or playing from behind. The Steelers won't dominate Dallas either, which means Redman once again won't see many reps.

Mike Wallace

With Big Ben back in the pocket Wallace quickly snapped out of his slump. Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne will try to keep up, but expect Wallace to slip behind coverage at least once.

Antonio Brown

After missing a month's worth of action, Brown has been targeted 19 times in two December games and last week caught his second score of the season.

Emmanuel Sanders

It's no surprise that Sanders' production took a nose dive with Ben Roethlisberger's return to the lineup (from 60-plus yards in each of the three weeks prior to just 36 against San Diego). Fantasy owners should leave him be now that Big Ben is back.

Heath Miller

Six of Miller's seven touchdowns this season have come with Ben Roethlisberger under center. The Cowboys have struggled to defend the tight end position since losing Bruce Carter.

Shaun Suisham

Suisham is averaging a respectable 7.8 points per game this season, but just 6.5 in the past six weeks. Credit Ben Roethlisberger's brief absence and a struggling rushing attack. Regardless, it's not a good sign for fantasy owners.

The loss of Ike Taylor cannot be overstated, but the Steelers are still one of the league's most disciplined units and can capitalize on a Cowboys team that ranks near the bottom in giveaways.

Tony Romo

It's tough to bet against the league's top-ranked pass defense, but Romo has thrown for 300 or more yards in his last five games at Cowboys Stadium.

DeMarco Murray

Only two backs have rushed for 100 yards against Pittsburgh this season: Darren McFadden (113) and Jamaal Charles (100). Murray is unlikely to hit that mark.

Felix Jones

Fantasy owners must worry about how well first-stringer DeMarco Murray will hold up against Pittsburgh's vaunted defense. Jones? Forget him. He has no hope.

Miles Austin

Ike Taylor's injury could open the door for Austin and the rest of Dallas' receivers to exploit the Pittsburgh secondary like San Diego did so effectively last week.

Dez Bryant

Bryant's fractured index finger may not keep him off the field, but it could slow down the momentum he's built up over the past few weeks, when he's gained seven touchdowns.

Jason Witten

The Steelers understand that stopping the Cowboys starts with stopping Witten. Easier said than done. Still, Pittsburgh has done a good job of covering the middle of the field lately and if any team can slow down the league's best pass-catching tight end, it's Pittsburgh.

Dan Bailey

It could be another solid week for Bailey, as the Steelers rank 11th in field goals allowed and last week permitted Nick Novak to reach double digits.

This game could be decided by whether Jay Ratliff is able to return to the starting lineup. With him, the Cowboys can plug holes and create pressure. Without him, they're not close to being the same unit. Because of that, the Cowboys are a bad bet for fantasy owners this week.